When planning our holiday in Vietnam, we came across the name Ha Giang Loop many times. It is a motorbike adventure in the north of Vietnam in Ha Giang province. Most people describe it as the best experience not only in Vietnam, but in all of Southeast Asia. Although we’ve heard and read a lot about it, there’s nothing like personal experience! And so we went for it. Was it worth it?
Definitely yes! To be honest, this adventure literally changed our lives. It’s been a few days since it ended and we still can’t find the words for the beauty we were able to see thanks to it.
Just imagine. You’re sitting on a motorbike, headphones in your ears, listening to your favourite song. All around you can see majestic mountains, picturesque villages or beautiful valleys. Adrenaline flows through your veins from riding a motorbike, you feel every single movement of the wind, which gives you an absolute feeling of freedom. Tears come to your eyes as you are grateful to be there and see the beauty of nature with your own eyes. So let’s talk more about that.
Where to book a Ha Giang Loop tour
The tour usually starts in the provincial capital of Ha Giang. In this city you will find many companies offering different types of tours. You can usually choose between 2, 3 or 4 day tours. The offer of these companies differs minimally. These are usually differences in accommodation and eating places. The programme tends to be almost identical.
We did the tour through Ha Giang Vision and we fully recommend it. Everything was very well organized, the drivers behaved responsibly, and we rate the accommodation and food as 1*. We took the three-day tour and we think it’s the best choice. Two days may be too little, and you will miss the opportunity to visit beautiful places. However, four days can be too much, as the whole program can physically exhaust you.
How to choose a company for Ha Giang Loop
Book your tour at least a few days in advance. Since they start every day, there is no big problem with capacity. One of the reasons we chose Ha Giang Vision Tour is because their groups are usually 5-10 people, which is absolutely ideal.
In Ha Giang you will also find more well-known companies with more than 20 people + drivers starting every single day. On the one hand, it can be great for those who are travelling alone and want to meet lots of new people. On the other hand, be prepared for the fact that everywhere you go will be crowded and you won’t enjoy the views to the fullest. Our group consisted of 7 people + 6 easy drivers, which was the ideal number and we enjoyed everything to the maximum.
Ha Giang Loop with or without an easy driver?
There are two ways to do the Ha Giang Loop Tour. Either you go on a motorbike alone or with a professional driver. However, you must bear in mind that you need an international motorcycle licence to do this tour without a driver . We saw several police patrols along the route where they were checking just tourists riding on their own. You can be fined or sent home for driving without a licence.
Since neither of us had that kind of license, we both took it with a driver and don’t regret it at all. We were able to fully enjoy all that Ha Giang Loop has to offer!
Ha Giang Loop tour price
For a three-day trip without a driver you will pay about 100€, with a driver it is 140€. The price includes accommodation for 3 nights (including the one on which you arrive by night bus), meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner), raincoats and water. The only things you have to pay extra for are some drinks, extra food, or some souvenirs.
Therefore we recommend that you take cash with you, as most places do not allow you to pay by card. Accommodation is usually in hostels or in home stays, so don’t expect any five-star hotels. If you don’t want to share a room and bathroom with others you can pay a few extra euros for privacy. We paid an extra 10€ per night and had the place all to ourselves.
How to get to Ha Giang
The most popular way to get to Ha Giang is by night bus directly from Hanoi. You can read more about sleeper buses in Vietnam in our article. Of course, you can also travel from other parts of Vietnam such as: Ninh Binh, Sapa or Halong Bay. These buses usually depart in the evening and arrive at their destination in the middle of the night.
However, the companies offering the tours are prepared for this and will arrange for you to stay directly in their hostel, where you can check in, get some sleep and be ready to start your tour in the morning. These hostels usually also have restaurants where you can enjoy a tasty breakfast and coffee in the morning to give you plenty of energy for the adventure ahead.
What to pack for Ha Giang Loop
If you arrive in Ha Giang with a lot of luggage, you will be given the option to leave it at the hostel and go on the tour with only what you need. You really don’t need to bring everything with you because you won’t need it. It will unnecessarily detract from your comfort while travelling. We therefore recommend packing only the essentials.
What you should definitely not forget is a warm (preferably waterproof) jacket, sunscreen, sunglasses, headphones, cash (in case of buying coffee, beer or other drinks) and some audio-visual equipment since there will be something to camera! 😀 Included in our trip were raincoats and shoe covers, which really came in handy on the third day as it rained most of the time. Even so, we had our own raincoat and thermal underwear with us.
How does it all work?
On the morning of the first day, you will all meet at the hostel for breakfast, where you will receive all the necessary instructions and meet the group that will share this wonderful adventure with you. At approximately 9:00 you will hit the road. All day long you will experience breathtaking views and beautiful moments that you won’t easily forget.
A lot of times we get asked if it was too uncomfortable. Since the program is set up so that you really have a lot of stops during the day, you don’t have to worry about not being able to make it. Obviously, for a person who is not used to travelling every day on a motorbike it can be a bit unnatural and challenging, but we guarantee that all the things that will be happening around you will suppress all your uncomfortable thoughts and feelings about travelling.
Meals
During the day, you will stop for a delicious lunch, which will be served in a very familiar way. You all sit at one table and are given a variety of local specialties to share with each other in the center of the table. There is always a great atmosphere at the viewpoints, with music playing, people having a drink or playing games. It’s just great.
In addition to the views, you’ll visit many picturesque villages and get to know the culture and life of the local people, whose reality may not always be the happiest. Many times you see women working hard in the fields, children carrying heavy loads on their backs from a young age, or little girls running barefoot in the street even when it is 10 degrees outside. The reality of North Vietnam is really harsh, there is poverty and people live a simple life. It literally sent shivers down our spines. It is good to experience it and see it with your own eyes, because one becomes aware of values and begins to appreciate more what one has.
Happy Water
Every night you enjoy a great dinner, games, karaoke and happy water, which is an important part of every tour. It is a local alcohol (rice wine or rice wine in our country), which has from 20% to 40%. It tastes very specific, but it provides great fun. You have it included, of course. We guarantee that after three days you will know the Vietnamese cheers toast by heart! 😀
At the end of the tour, you return to your destination as one big family. A family that has had a wonderful adventure. During those three days, the family which ate from the same table, sang karaoke, competed in billiards and shared life stories with each other after happy water. Tears come to your eyes because you know it’s the end. Yes, that’s how strong the emotions of Ha Giang Loop are!
Feelings
We agree with the opinion of all the YouTubers and bloggers we’ve read and see that it’s a thing you just have to experience. We experienced it and it still gives us goosebumps to this day.
You can buy the e-book at a special price here.
Are you going to Vietnam? You already know what not to miss 🙂
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